Shelf and supports therefor



F. D. PELTIER ET AL SHELF.AND SUPPORTS THEREFOR May 14, 1940.

Filed lay 28. 1958 2 Sheets$heet l 1 INVENTORS FRANK D.

FIG. 2.

PELTIER F. SCHMIDT KARL BY @4 ATTORNEY May 14, 1940. no. PELTIER ET ALSHELF AND SUPPORTS THEREFOR mm m 2a, 1958 [WE NTORS FRANK D. PELTIER gSheets-Sheet 2 KARL F, SCHMIDT 4. p44

ATTORNEY Patented May 14, 1940 SHELF AND SUPPORTS THEREFOR Frank D.Poitier and Karl F. Schmidt, Indianapolis, Ind., assignors, 'by mesneassignments, to Philco Refrigerator Company, Philadelphia, Pa., acorporation of Delaware Application May 28, 1938, Serial No. 210,601

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in shelves and supports therefor,and more particularly to removable shelves and shelf-supports adaptedfor releasable retention of the shelves in 5 assembly relative to thesupports. Although the invention has a wide field of application, it isadaptable in particular to refrigerator assemblies and the like andespecially to refrigerators of domestic type. lo

a refrigerator assembly, one or more shelves and improved supportstherefor, the supports including readily releasable interlock meanseffective to retain the shelf in assembly with the supports,

but permitting a release of the shelf for removal or replacementpurposes. 1

Another, object is 'to provide an improved and greatly simplifiedshelf-support and shelf interlock adapted for supporting and retaining ashelf in assembly relation thereto, the support being adapted for readymounting on a wall or other portion of a refrigerator or the like, in agreatly simplified but secure manner.

Ather objects and advantages will appear as the :5 description proceedsand from the drawings, in

which: V

Fig. 1 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section through arefrigerator of a type including an outeror main door and an inner door,the section being taken from line l-l in Fig. 2 and illustrating a shelfsecured in assembly to the inner door in the preferred manner formingthe subject of the invention; Fig. 2 is a reduced front view of theinner door illustrating a plu- 1),, rality of shelves assembled on thedoor in the improved manner; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectionof the door as taken along line 33 in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a greatlyenlarged, fragmentary side view of the inner door; Fig. 5 is anenlarged. fragmentary horizontal section of the door as taken along line55 in Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section as viewed from line 6-6 inFig. 5; Fig. 'I is a similar fragmentary section as viewed from line l-!in Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the door andshelf assembly, as viewed from line 8 --8 in Fig. 5, the viewillustrating the improved shelf-lock in position to effectively retainthe shelf in assembly with the door, and Fig. 9 is a view similar tothat of Fig. 8. but' showing the lock in its inoperative position withrespect to the shelf.

Referring to the drawings by suitable characters of reference, it ispreferred in the present example to illustrate the invention as appliedto .15 a rigerator of domestic type, the structure of An object of theinvention is to provide as in part of the door projects within theopening 8, is

suitably hinged (not shown) to one of the walls 1. Hinged as at 10, toone of the walls i is the innerhood 6, this door being comprised of anysuitable material, as sheet metal; and being of a hollow or dished formas shown, to provide an open-side chamber H in which are suitablylocated shelves 1! for supporting articles to be stored. These shelvesand the mounting means therefor, form the subject of the invention whichwill be presently described.

The inner door 6 preferably formed of sheet metal as indicated,comprises a back wall l3, top and bottom walls I and [5 respectively,and side walls It and I1, all of the walls being integrally connected.Formed integrally with the top, bottom and side walls near the outermarginal edges thereof, is a bead l8 which extends peripherally aboutthe door, the bead presenting a rounded surface at the forward edge ofthe door. As will be noted in Fig. 1, the dimensions of the inner doorare such as to leave a space :9 between the door and cabinet walls, sothat cooled air within main chamber 9 may circulate freely about theinner door through space l9, and within the door chamber II tomaintainthe foods or other articles stored on the inner door shelves H,in a cooled state. Moreover, it is noted that the open side of the innerdoor chamber II is adjacent the outer door 5, so that by opening theouter door, access may be had to the articles carried by the inner doorwhile this door is in closed position. In the above instance, the innerdoor being closed, serves to prevent an inrush of warm air to the mainchamber 9. Of course, access may behad to the main chamber merely byopening the inner-door while the outer door is open, or by opening bothdoors in the first instance.

As shown by Fig. 2, a plurality of shelves I! are carried by inner door6, but since it is preferred to mount each shelf in the same manner,only one thereof and its mounting. means will be described in detail.Referring to the uppermost, shelfin. Fig. 2, theshelf which may beformed from sheet metal, comprises a plate-like base 20 of either end 23of the plate so that the shelf may be assembled in a sliding manner toits supports, as will later appear. Located adjacent the forwardlongitudinal margin of the shelf'plate, is an upstanding flange 24provided with aninturned flange 25 along its upper margin; The cornersof plate 28 are rounded as shown, and the I ends of the forward flange24 are by preferance extended about the forward rounded corners of theplate (Figs. 1 and 5). In assembly, the shelf is disposed within theinner door chamber H, and the forward flange 24 thereon cooperates withthe portions of the door walls adjacent the shelf in the retention ofarticles on plate 28.

Mounting and securement of the shelf in assembly with the door iseffected by an improved and greatly simplified means now to bedescribed. Formed in each of the door side walls l6 and I1 is ascrew-receiving aperture 28 (Fig. 7), while slightly above each apertureand in horizontally spaced relation are additional apertures 21 (Figs. 4and 5). Engaging wall l6 at the zone of the apertures therein is ashelf-support member 28, while similarly located on the opposite wall I!is a like member 28, each member having a slot 38 therein for thereception of an end portion 23 of shelf plate 28 (Fig. 6). Since thesupports 28 and 29 are, by preference, similar in form but have theirsecuring elements relatively reversed to provide right and left handmembers for an obvious reason, only one thereof, as member 28, will v bedescribed in detail.

Referring to Figs. 5 through 9, member 28, which may be formed of anysuitable material, is provided with laterally directed integralprojections 3| spaced so that in the assembly of the member to door wallIS, the projections will closely seat in and project through the wallapertures 21 (Fig. 5). Moreoventhe member is provided with a threadedaperture 32 which in the assembly relation of the member to wall l8,registers with the wall aperture 28. A securing screw 8 33 is insertedthrough aperture 26 and threadedly seated in the aperture 32, the screwwhen drawn up, serving to clamp. the member 28 to the wall IS. Theprojections 3| cooperate with the screw in effectively retaining theshelf-supporting member on the wall, and by reason of the arrangementandrelative spacing of the projections and screw, movement or otherunwanted displacement of the member is prevented.- Further, by reason ofthe location of the projections above the screw 33 and their close fitin wall apertures 21, they serve effectively to bear through member. 28,a major part of the weight imposed on the shelf by the articles storedthereon. Thus little weight is borne by the screw 33, so that itsprincipalfunction becomes one of securely clamping the member 28 to thewall It.

'As before indicated,,the member 28 is provided with a slot 38 for thereception of an end 23 of shelf-plate 28. The slot is horizontal whenthe member is assembled to the wall of the door, so

. as to effect a horizontal position of the shelf,

and further, the size of the slot is such as to provide-for a relativelyclose fit of the shelf end therein, whereby to prevent either end-wiseor support member 28.

The shelf is effectively retained in assembly by an improved andpreferred form of latch of a type which is readily releasable to permitremoval ofthe shelf from its support. Formed by preference asan.integral part of the member 28 and located near the forward endthereof, is an upstanding element or boss 34 provided with a central,tapped bore 35 extending horizontally therethrough and directedlongitudinally of the member 28 (Fig. 5).. Operatively seated in thebore is the threaded end 36 of a substantially 'L-shaped member or latch31, the arm 38 of which is formed,bypreference,to provide a loopedportion 38 near its free end, serving as a handle for facilitatingmanual manipulation of the latch. Formed in the forward portion of shelfend 23 for cooperation with latch arm 38 is a wedge-shaped slot 48, thesmaller end of which is adjacent the lateral margin of the shelf end.The longitudinal extent of the slot 48 is such that in the assembly ofthe shelf to its supports, the latch arm 38 may be rotated downwardlythrough the slot (Fig; 8) from its unlatching position shown in Fig. 9,until the arm becomes wedged in the slot. Thus the shelf becomes latchedin assembly to the support 28. It is to be noted' that by reason of thethreaded mounting of the latch, turning or rotary movement thereof ineffecting shelf-securement, as described, will result in displacement ofthe latch toward the boss 34, and this will serve through the arm seatedin shelf slot 40, to draw the shelf inwardly of the hollow door 8, intoproper assembly position therein. Conversely, reverse rotation of thelatch as for releasing the shelf, will effect a forward or outwarddisplacement of the shelf. Thus in the latter instance, if the shelf end23 has become wedged in the slot 38 of member 28, shelfreleasingmovement of the latch will effectively break such wedged condition, sothat the shelf may be easily removed.

In the assembly of the shelf to the door and to its supports 28 and 29,the shelf ends 23 are inserted in the slots 38 as by sliding the shelfends therethrough, until the shelf slots 48 are in substantial registerwith the latches 38. Thereafter, the latches may be rotated into wedgedengagement in slots 48, this action drawing the shelf into properassembly position as before described. The shelf is now locked in placeagainst lateral movement by reason of the latches, and against endwiseand vertical movement by reason of the shelf-ends seating in the slots38 in supports 28 and29. It is to be noted that the latches wedginglyengage the shelf slots 48 in an opposed manner which results in alongitudinal tensioning ofthe shelf. Thus by this and. also generally byreason of the improved manner of mounting the shelf, vibratory movementof the shelf is substantially prevented.

All of the shelves-employed on the inner door 6 may be mounted in asimilar manner, the desired vertical spacing of the shelves beingattained by suitably locating the cooperating supports for each shelfrelative to the door walls It and l'l. Moreover, as illustrated in Fig.2, one of the shelves l2 extends only part way between the door sidewalls, leaving a space 4| to accommodate relatively tall objects such asmilk bottles and the like, stored on the shelf therebelow. As appears inthe figure, the left end of the short shelf is supported on the wall I!in the manner similar to the others, while the right end is supported bya member 42 similar in all respects to the member 28 heretoforedescribed. However,

with the support 28 and hence, with the door 6, in this instance member42 is secured to a bracket 43 which in turn is secured by any suitablemeans (not shown) to the back wall l3 of the door 6.

It will now appear that by this invention there is provided an improvedshelf and shelf-supports therefor which may be applied as in the presentexample, to the inner door 6 of a refrigerator, or to the interior ofthe cabinet, as between the walls 1 thereof. Moreover, application ofthe shelf and its supports to other than refrigerator assemblies becomereadily-apparent. The shelf supports and interlocks are effective whilecomprised of but few parts, only one securing screw being required foreach support. The interlocks provide for eifective securement of theshelf in assembly, yet permit a ready release thereof for removalpurposes. It is to be noted here that while it is preferred to form theprojections 3| integral with each supporting memher as a means forreducing the number of separate elements, these may be pegs or similarelements suitably secured to the member, or if desired, a single rib(not shown) may besubstituted for the projections on each support, inwhich case the projection-receiving openings 21in the door side wallswill be replaced by a single slot (not shown) of a size closelyto'receive the rib.

It is to be understood that the structure and arrangement of the partsforming the subject of this invention as illustrated and describedherein by way of a preferred example thereof, may be altered or modifiedwithin the spirit and intended scope of the invention, as defined by theclaims appended thereto.

Weclaim.

1. Removable shelving for refrigerators and the like comprising a shelfprovided with slots therein, shelf-supports adapted for a slidablyreceiving said shelf, and releasable interlock eleposition of assemblyrelative to the supports.

2. Removable shelving for refrigerators, comprising a shelf providedwith wedge-shaped slots therein, shelf-supports adapted for slidablyreceiving said shelf, and elements operatively 'carried by saidsupports, adapted for wedged seating in said slots to lock said shelf tothe supports, said elements in effecting a locked condi tion of saidshelf, serving also to effect a predetermined positionment of the shelfrelative to the supports.

3. Removable shelving for a refrigerator assembly, including a shelfstructure having slots therein, shelf-supports therefor secured toportions of the refrigerator, assembly and adapted for slidablyreceiving said shelf, and releasable interlock means on said supportsadapted for seating in said slots to lock the shelf vto its supports,said interlock means comprising elements threadedly engaging the shelfsupports, and adapted in effecting a locked condition of the shelf, todisplace the shelf toward and into a predtermined position of assemblyrelative to its supports.

4. Removable shelving for refrigerators, comprising a shelf structureprovided with wedgeshaped slots therein, shelf-supports secured toportions of a refrigerator and adapted for slidably receiving saidshelf, and elements carried by said supports, arranged for both rotaryand displacement movements relative to the supports, said elements beingadapted for wedged seating in said 'shelf slots to effect positioningand locking of the-shelf relative to the supports.

5. In combination, a shelf, spaced shelf supports adapted for slidablyreceiving the shelf,

said shelf being provided with tapered slots dilongitudinally thereofand located in the zones of shelf-engagement.with said supports, and

interlock means on said supports, capable of rotaryand displacementmovements relative to the supports, said means being adapted for wedgedseating in said tapered shelf-slots upon rotation of the means throughsaid slots, in a manner, to lock the shelf to its supports, theinterlock means in effecting a locked condition of the shelf, servingalso to tension the shelf longitudinally thereof, and further, saidmeans being adapted when rotated to effect a shelflocking condition asaforesaid, to be displaced relative to said supports, in a manner toeffect a predetermined position of the shelf relative to its supports.

FRANK D. PEI-TIER. KARL F. SCHMIDT.

